Marriage is a right for all, not just some

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.clearly overlooked one salient fact in his oh-so-reasonable but ultimately bigoted column ("Drawing a line at same-sex marriage," April 15). Gays are not "an influential interest group." Rather, they are people who are demanding the same rights that he and the other opponents of gay marriage take for granted.

The fact that they've never enjoyed this right is not a reason to deny it to them now. Marriage is a legal institution as well as a cultural and religious one, and according to the U.S. Constitution, everyone deserves equal protection and equal rights.

And by the way, how "influential" are gays when (as Mr. Ehrlich notes) 31 states have voted against gay marriage?